A trio of Senate Democrats unveiled a bill on Friday that would provide individuals with a monthly stipend of $2,000 — which would be protected from garnishment by debt collectors — for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, because the $1,200 that was already made available is not enough to help individuals who have been impacted by the crisis.
The legislation — called the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act — was unveiled by Sen. Kamala Harris [D-Calif.] and is being co-sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders [D-Vt.] and Sen. Edward Markey [D-Mass.].
The bill would provide $2,000 per individual, provided he or she earns less than $120,000 per year. Married couples would receive $4,000, and parents would receive $2,000 per child, for up to three children. The money would be provided every month until three months after the COVID-19 pandemic is declared to be over.
In some ways, it matches proposed legislation that Democrats in the House of Representatives have sought to enact, but the version introduced in the Senate does not go as far as to place a prohibition on debt collection activity. Republicans, meanwhile, do not appear to be in a rush to move forward with another stimulus bill, even as the unemployment rate surges to all-time record highs.
“The coronavirus pandemic has caused millions to struggle to pay the bills or feed their families,” said Sen. Harris, in a statement. “The CARES Act gave Americans an important one-time payment, but it’s clear that wasn’t nearly enough to meet the needs of this historic crisis. Bills will continue to come in every single month during the pandemic and so should help from government. The Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act will ensure families have the resources they need to make ends meet. I am eager to continue working with Senators Sanders and Markey as we push to pass this bill immediately.”
The bill would prohibit any financial institution from garnishing or freezing any portion of a payment made to an individual, a provision that was not included in the CARES Act, which led to much consternation across the country and made states feel forced to issue orders protecting the funds from being garnished.
